For Those You Love
by peetamybread
Summary: Katniss and Peeta have been best friends since Panem Junior High. They both have feelings for each other, but they don't know if the relationship is worth putting their friendship in danger. Follow Katniss and Peeta's journey in finding themselves and a new side of each other.
1. Chapter 1

"Katniss, what would you like to drink?" said Peeta.

Peeta and I had been friends ever since I could remember. When I was only 11 years old I moved to Panem and naturally attended Panem Junior High. We moved all the way from District 2 after my dad died to District 12. Our mom was in a deep depression and my Uncle Haymitch stepped in and watched over my sister Prim and I. I was fine with caring for Prim on my own, but now I realize that Prim needed more than I could ever give her on my own. She is the epitome of innocence and sweetness and it haunts me every day that she has a mother that couldn't be selfless enough to take care of her. I don't understand how a mother could ever abandon her children, but I won't ever have to worry because I have vowed to never have children.

With Haymitch we lived in a small house with the money he received from my father's death. It wasn't super nice, but it was just enough for what we needed.

*Flashback*

_ It was a chilly Monday morning on my first day at Panem Junior High, and I had arrived to class late because first I had dropped Prim in her classroom. She immediately was welcomed by a dark-skinned little girl and they played at a table with the other children. _

_When I walked into my class, my peers were the opposite of welcoming. I sat at a desk by myself in the back and no one talked to me. I looked around me and a boy with blonde hair and stunning blue eyes was looking straight at me, I quickly looked down and glanced out of the corner of my eye to see the boy smiling and turned back to my book. _

_At lunch I sat down at a table and realized I had no money or a lunch, so I sat quietly at my table holding my Mockingjay pin my dad had given to me a week before he died; on my birthday. It was the most comforting thing I still had to remind me of him. _

_Suddenly, I felt the chair beside me move and I looked up to see the same blonde haired boy I had seen earlier. His blue eyes were so beautiful and deep, I found myself staring at them. After several moments I blushed and he gave me his famous smile again. _

_"I'm Katniss." I quickly nervously said. _

_"I'm Peeta," he said and his voice was strong and unwaivering. "Do you not have any lunch?"_

_"No I forgot to bring one," as I said this he grabbed a hunk of his bread and handed it to me._

_"My family owns a bakery, so I eat bread everyday for lunch, but you can have some."_

_"Thank you, but you don't have to sit with me, you can go sit with your friends if you want," I say and he frowns._

_"Well, I was hoping we could be friends."_

*End of Flashback*

"Katniss, I asked you what you wanted to drink?" "Why are you smiling like that?"

Was I really smiling?

"Oh sorry," I say and shake my head, "Can I have a please." The waiter walks away shaking his head. I wonder how long I made them wait?

"What were you thinking about?" He asks with his same signature smirk on his face.

"Oh, just back to the good old days of Panem Junior High, particularly the day we met." I say with a reminiscent grin.

"That was one of the best days of my life," he agrees, nodding his head."

"Why for you?" I ask with a puzzled look on my face.

"Because it was the day I met you."

We both smile at each other and he grabs my hand from across the table.


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you still coming to my house for Thanksgiving?" asks Peeta.

"Of course, but its gonna be weird not spending it with Prim and Haymitch, but they are going to visit Aunt Effie." I say with a sad voice.

"It will be fun, you can enjoy our family games and delicious food, there will be cheese buns," he says in his best salesmen voice.

"Well I'm sold, don't mind me asking, but will your _lovely_ mother be there?" at this his face drops because I'm sure he is remembering the first time I met his mother.

*Flashback*

_"Peeta isn't it kind of weird that I have only met your dad, but never your mother, we've known each other for 4 years now?" I ask with a puzzled look._

_"No." he answers a little too quickly. What is he hiding from me? "You will probably see her tonight because she is coming home from the bakery."_

_"Cool, I'm excited to meet her. I bet she is just like your dad; nice, funny and a good bak-" I am cut off mid-sentence by the slamming of a door. I hear footsteps stumbling through the kitchen now approaching the living room where we are sitting on the couch._

_"Hi mom, this is Katniss one of my friends I have told you about." He motions to me and I give a little wave._

_She looks at Peeta then at me and she slightly sways, she reeks of alcohol. "Is this another one of your little sluts, Peeta? I thought I told you not to bring any trash in my house!" She practically yells._

_We both gasp and Peeta stands up and wisks her away to a bedroom, whispering stuff to her while she screams, "Take out the trash!" over and over. Eventually her screams stop and Peeta hurries back beside me on the couch. _

_"I'm so sorry, Katniss, I won't ever let her speak to you that way again," he says with a sad look on his face as he pulls me in for a hug._

_I hug him for a moment and then pull back, "What did I do wrong? Does all your family think I'm trash? Do you think I'm trash?" I say softly sobbing._

_"Of course not and my whole family loves you, don't believe a word she says, she is just a sad, drunk women. I should've warned you, I guess I was too ashamed to ever talk about her." He turns to look at the wall and takes a deep breath and I grab his hand," You never met her before because I was afraid she would ruin our friendship. I didn't want the worst thing in my life to ruin the only good thing I have."_

_He has such a way with words and I am immediately comforted. _

_"You don't ever have to be ashamed to tell me anything, nothing anyone could say would ever not make me want to be your friend Peeta."_

*End of Flashback*

"No she won't be there, she is visiting her sister," he says with a slight edge to his voice. The little boy who was once afraid of his mother has grown to a man only angered by the thought of her.

"I can't wait for some good Mellark family time," he smiles, "I have to use the restroom, you can order for me."

"Ok, hurry back," he says with a smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of the characters.**

On the way to the bathroom I stop and pass the wall of pictures. This is my favorite restaurant and my friends and I meet here almost every Friday night. Tonight, everyone else was busy, except Peeta, and we usually hang out alone anyways.

On the wall I see pictures of Peeta, Annie, Finnick, Gale, and I on Johanna's birthday. Ever since Peeta and I met all of them freshman year we have been insuperable ever since. It is our tradition to come here on each of our birthdays together.

As I see the girls room in the corner, I see a boy standing in between the 2 opposite restrooms. From the back, he looks familiar, but I keep walking. Just as I pass him I feel something pull on my arm. I quickly snap my head around and see Cato staring back at me with an evil grin.

"Funny seeing you here, Everdeen." I have never gotten along with him, all he does is threaten me and hit on me.

"You know that we come here every Friday, Cato. And let go of my arm," I say as I try to yank my arm away. It only makes him grasp me harder and I bite my lip to not yell out in pain.

"Don't even think about screaming or fighting me, if you do I will get you and your little friends. Get Peeta when he least suspects it." No. Not Peeta, Peeta would never fight back and he has never done anything wrong to anybody.

Before I can reply, Cato has me pushed against the wall holding my arms down. I try to move my legs, but his whole body is pressed up against mine and I can barely move. I look up into Cato's eyes and see them clouded with lust. He leans closer to my face.

"Just one kiss Katniss, I won't tell anybody."

"No, Cato get off of me," I say through gritted teeth.

"I said just ONE kiss!" he practically yells and grips my wrists even harder, clawing his nails into my skin.

"She said get off of her, Cato," I look up and see Peeta standing behind Cato with balled fists to his side.

"Peeta, I'm ok," I say with pleading eyes. At this point I don't care what he does to me as long as he doesn't hurt Peeta.

"Yeah, Peeta your girlfriend wants you to get away." As he says this he grabs my waist and moves his hand up my thigh and onto my butt. He grabs my face with his hand still on my butt and leans in trying to kiss me.

Before he can, I see Peeta grab the back of Cato's neck and he throws him against the opposite wall. I fall to the ground and hold my wrists and watch in astonishment. I have never seen Peeta get physical with anyone before.

Peeta is holding on to both sides of Cato's collar and for the first time ever I see fear in his eyes.

"You ever touch Katniss again and I will beat your ass!" Peeta says an inch from Cato's face. I have never seen him this angry and honestly it is kind of scary looking.

He lets go of Cato and he walks away and turns around and smirks at me. I look up and Peeta is facing me so he couldn't of seen him.

Peeta runs over to me and helps me off of the floor.

"Are you hurt? What did he do to you? Are you ok? Do you need anything?" He quickly says looking at me up and down and his eyes land on my bleeding wrist.

"Oh Katniss, I'm so sorry I let him hurt you like that I should've come sooner and got that creep off of you," he says with sad eyes and a disgusted look.

"Peeta, none of this is your fault. I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? I just watched him grope you and attack you," he says with a confused angry look on his face.

"You could've gotten hurt and I don't want anyone to hurt you because of me," I say with a small frown.

"It's because I care about you so much," he says and pulls me into a hug. He kisses the top of my head and I look up at him. He pulls a strand of hair off of my face.

I look into his light blue eyes and I see colors in them that I never saw before. My eyes then move to his lips, they are slightly pink and I find myself wondering what they would feel like on mine.

Peeta then grabs my waist and cups the side of my face and softly pulls me closer. Our lips meet and I close my eyes. We hold our lips together for a moment when we hear someone clear their throat behind us.

We quickly pull away and I feel my cheeks turn red. I look up and see Peeta is smiling and doing the same. He grabs my hand and we walk out of the restaurant together.

When we pull up to my house Peeta walks me up to my doorstep and he pulls me in for a kiss. This kiss is different than the first. It is more knowing and we are fully aware of each other. Then I realize we are on my front porch and my little sister is inside.

I pull away and I see Peeta's face drop.

"I'm sorry, am I not any good at that?" he says and his voice drops and sounds embarrassed and he blushes again.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong, its just that my little sister is inside and-"

"Oo, I got ya, that would be a little awkward," he says with his usual cute smile.

I walk up to the door and grab the knob and then turn around and quickly run up and kiss Peeta's cheek. He smiles even brighter than before.

"Thank you for that. Good night Katniss, I will see you tomorrow."

"Good night Peeta," I smile and walk inside closing the door behind me.

"Hey Katniss why are you so red?" asks Prim.

"What are you doing still up?'

"I was worried when you weren't home at your normal time, so I wanted to wait for you." Prim says and her face slightly turns up in a grin. I will let this one slide because she is such a great kid.

"Well now I'm here, let's go upstairs up to bed, I'm tired," I say and fake a yawn.

"Whatever, but you never answered my question of why you are so red."

I run up the stairs and into my room.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow Prim, good night!"

I lay in my bed and I immediately fall asleep, smiling thinking about how perfect my kiss was with Peeta.

The next morning I wake up and I check my phone and I see a text from Peeta: _What time today?_ And then I remember what happened last night.

Holy crap, I just ruined everything by kissing my best friend.

**Authors Note: I hope everyone is enjoying so far. If you have anything to ask or suggest then message me! Please review so I know that I should continue writing this! **


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